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What dogs can and cannot eat

46 foods with a verdict for dogs specifically, because the answer genuinely differs by species — cats are several times more sensitive to onion than dogs, rabbits cannot vomit at all, and avocado is a mild caution for a dog and lethal for a bird.

If this has already been eaten, ring your vet or an animal poison control line now rather than waiting for signs to appear — for several of these the window in which treatment works closes before the animal looks unwell. Do not try to make the animal sick at home: home emetics are dangerous for corrosive and petroleum substances and for an animal already showing signs, and salt-based ones have themselves proved fatal.

Toxic — treat as an emergency

Food Why Dose known?
Chocolate Dose-dependent. Dark and baking chocolate are dangerous in small quantities; milk chocolate needs much more. Yes
Grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants Acute kidney failure. No safe quantity is known and it is not reliably dose-dependent. No
Onion, garlic, leek and chives Destroys red blood cells. Cooking, drying and powdering do not help — powders are more concentrated. Yes
Xylitol and birch sugar Triggers a massive insulin release, then hypoglycaemia, and at higher doses liver failure. Yes
Chewing gum Almost all sugar-free gum contains xylitol, and a few pieces are a serious dose. No
Alcohol Much lower tolerance than a person and a much smaller body to dilute it. No
Coffee, tea and energy drinks Same class of compound as chocolate, and more concentrated in coffee grounds or a caffeine tablet. No
Macadamia nuts Weakness, tremors and an inability to use the hind legs, usually within twelve hours. Yes
Salt, salt dough and sea water Large amounts cause hypernatraemia, which swells and damages the brain. No
Raw bread dough Two problems at once: the dough expands in the stomach, and the yeast produces alcohol. No

Everything else

Food Verdict Why
Peanut butter In moderation Fine — unless it contains xylitol, in which case it is an emergency.
Avocado Risky The flesh is not the problem. The stone is an obstruction risk and the fat can trigger pancreatitis.
Milk and cream In moderation Not toxic. Most adult dogs are lactose intolerant, so it means diarrhoea rather than danger.
Cheese In moderation A useful training treat. Watch the fat and salt, and avoid blue cheese specifically.
Cooked bones Not safe Cooking makes bone brittle, so it splinters into sharp fragments instead of crushing.
Lilies Risky True lilies cause gastrointestinal upset in dogs rather than kidney failure.
Apple Safe The flesh is fine. Core and seeds are worth removing, mostly for the choking risk.
Tuna In moderation Safe in small amounts; mercury is the reason not to make it routine.
Banana In moderation Safe. High in sugar, so a treat rather than a staple.
Carrot Safe Genuinely good as a low-calorie chew. Whole raw carrots can be a choking risk for enthusiastic eaters.
Corn on the cob Not safe The kernels are fine; the cob is one of the classic causes of intestinal obstruction.
Bacon, ham and fatty meat Risky Not toxic. Fat and salt make pancreatitis the real risk, and it can be severe.
Mushrooms Risky Supermarket mushrooms are fine. Wild ones are the emergency, and identification is not something to attempt.
Dog food, for a cat In moderation The reverse — cat food for a dog — is merely too rich, not dangerous.
Tomato Risky Ripe fruit is fine. Green fruit, leaves and stems contain tomatine.
Blueberries and strawberries Safe Genuinely good treats — small, low calorie, no stones.
Watermelon and melon Safe Flesh is safe and mostly water. Remove seeds and rind.
Almonds, walnuts and mixed nuts Risky Mostly not toxic, but high in fat, easy to choke on, and often salted.
Ice cream Risky Lactose, sugar and fat — and check for chocolate and xylitol.
Pumpkin Safe Plain cooked pumpkin is genuinely useful for mild digestive upsets.
Potato Risky Plain cooked potato is fine. Raw, green or sprouted potato is not.
Raw fish Risky Same thiaminase issue, plus parasite risk in raw salmon from the Pacific north-west.
Raw egg Risky Salmonella risk, and raw white binds biotin. Cooked egg has neither problem.
Cherries, peaches, plums and apricots Risky Flesh is fine. The stone is both an obstruction risk and a cyanide source.
Oranges, lemons and limes In moderation Orange flesh is harmless. Peel, pith and essential oils cause upset.
Bread In moderation Harmless and nutritionally pointless. Raw dough is a separate emergency.
Lettuce and leafy greens Safe Harmless, mostly water, of no particular benefit.
Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower In moderation Safe in small amounts. Isothiocyanates irritate the gut in quantity.
Popcorn In moderation Plain air-popped is fine. Butter, salt and unpopped kernels are the problems.
Yoghurt In moderation Plain live yoghurt is usually tolerated better than milk. Check for xylitol in low-sugar versions.
Honey In moderation Safe in small amounts. It is sugar, so the calories are the issue.
Coconut and coconut oil In moderation Not toxic. The medium-chain fats cause loose stools in quantity.
Peas, green beans and sweetcorn kernels Safe All three are common ingredients in commercial dog food.
Nutmeg Not safe Myristicin causes disorientation, a raised heart rate and, in quantity, seizures.
Rhubarb Not safe The leaves are high in oxalic acid, which binds calcium and can damage the kidneys.
Cinnamon In moderation Not toxic, but irritating to the mouth and airways as a powder.

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